Ghost of a Siren
by CrystalBorf
Summary: She was born with strange markings on her left arm. When she was five, she lost her parents to an unknown force. Raised by Handsome Jack, who appears to be loving, she learns that he's not what he seems. With the help of a friend, she escapes. Now, she is being hunted down. She is by herself, but ghosts are never completely alone. (Rating is at T for now. Might change later on)
1. Chapter 1

"Pandora. A world full of things we don't understand. But all of that is about to change."

Angelica sat with her head on her desk. She wanted to learn about Pandora, Hyperion, and maybe learn what her permanent tattoos that she had from birth meant, but sitting through a boring lesson wasn't what she had in mind. She imagined that she would've been selected to go with her classmates to attend one of Handsome Jack's speeches, but of course, her teacher thought otherwise. "Hey, Angelica," one of her classmates, Axel, whispered. She turned her head slightly, "What is it?" Axel was one of the kids who she knew nothing about. Axel continued, "What if I told you there's we could get you to come with us to Handsome Jack's speech?" This caught her attention. Before she could respond, the bell rang, announcing the end of class and the start of lunch.

"Wait, you're going to try to sneak me onto the trip?" she asked. He nodded with a smile.

Throughout the entire lunchtime, she asked him many questions, which he gladly answered, as if he knew what she was going to ask. "It's simple. I'll distract the teacher, and you quickly run onto the bus." Angelica whispered, "Are you crazy!? That's awesome! Of course I'll go with this plan!" This was perfect. No one would expect this to happen. She would see Handsome Jack, and she would hopefully be able to get a career as a Hyperion soldier.

After school, she noticed that the kids who normally bullied her weren't there. She shrugged it off, and began to walk home. An orphanage that went by the name "Perfect Angels." It was a complete lie. Ever since she had first arrived at the orphanage, she was treated like an outcast, a discarded piece of trash that no one wanted. She wasn't allowed to be adopted by anyone. Not a single person wanted her, anyways. Tomorrow, she would find her purpose.

_The next day._

Axel was already distracting the teacher by the time Angelica arrived. Without hesitating, she slipped onto the bus, finding an empty seat in the front. The bus driver simply smiled, "Eager to see Jack?" She nodded, "Of course!" He chuckled, amused by her joy. Students starting getting on the bus, Axel being the last one on. He sat next to her, "It worked. We're also lucky that the teachers won't be going with us. We'll have a Hyperion worker with us." Angelica squealed, "A Hyperion worker? This is going to be the best day of my life!"

The ride normally would've been a boring one, had it not been for her and Axel's friendly conversations. They talked about what they wanted to be, what they liked and disliked, stuff like that. When they arrived, she stared in awe at the Hyperion capital. It was a glorious sight to see, the giant 'H', a statue of Handsome Jack, everything. They started getting off the bus, Angelica trying her best not to run into the building by herself. The Hyperion worker that was waiting for them wore a fancy suit, her black hair tied in a bun. She had a warm smile, "Welcome to the Hyperion capital. It's a pleasure to have young minds to meet Handsome Jack in person." She led them into the capital, giving them information about Hyperion. "Handsome Jack was the man who opened the first Vault on Pandora. He single-handedly killed the Destroyer of Worlds, and discovered a new source called Eridium."

Angelica was so into the story that she barely noticed that Axel had grabbed her hand. "Hey, I think I saw Handsome Jack over there," he told her. She stared at him, "But, shouldn't we be following her?" Axel shook his head, "They didn't do a head count of how many students were here, so they won't notice." He dragged her with him, so Angelica followed him. Axel led her down a hallway, then turned left. They kept walking until they reached a dead end. "Wait, where's Jack?" she asked, looking around. "That's weird, I swore I saw him," he replied, his usual friendly tone now gone, being replaced with a different one. One that sounded almost as if…

She was knocked to the ground by someone behind her, her face meeting the floor. Angelica looked up to see the two boys who had been bullying her, and Axel in between them. A menacing glare that was accompanied by a smile was painted on his face. "You're so stupid to think that Handsome Jack was actually over here," he sneered. He turned to the boys, "No one will notice you're gone. The school won't miss ya, anyways." Then they started to kick and punch her, refusing to let her up. She did her best to crawl away, but she kept being dragged back. She screamed, "Stop it!" Axel punched her in the jaw, "Shut up, freak." Angelica began to cry as pain shot through her body, with a dull snap and more pain stabbing at her arm. She realized it was broken when she couldn't move it. The pain refrained her from moving, so she couldn't do anything other than lie there, taking the blows.

Then it stopped. She heard the boys struggling, and Axel shouting, "Hey! Let go!"

"Get them out of here," a stern, but somewhat familiar voice commanded. Soon, the noise died down, and Angelica turned her head, wincing at the pain, to see who had come. "J-Jack?" she stared almost in disbelief. He was kneeling at her side, "Hey, kiddo. You alright?" She turned her body slowly, painfully sitting up. Jack picked her up, cradling her. "Don't worry about the boys," he told her, "they'll receive their punishment." She whimpered, tears streaming down her face, "My arm hurts."

"It's okay, we're going to take a look at it," he cooed. He carried her down the hallway, and for once in her life, she felt safe. "W-why did you help me?" she asked. "Am I a f-freak?" He shook his head, "You're not a freak, little one. Why would anyone call you that?" The walked into a room, where she was sat on a table. She sniffled, "I don't have any parents. I u-used to, b-but then they died. They k-keep making fun of me, and the orphanage won't let me be adopted by anyone. Then there's these str-strange markings I was born with…" He sighed, "Yeah, I know that feeling." He turned his attention on her face, "What markings?" She moved her unbroken arm, "These markings, underneath my sleeve." He carefully rolled up her sleeve, then he paused, staring at her arm in awe. "So you are a Siren…" her murmured. Angelica gave him a curious look. "What's a Siren?" He stood up, "Well, it's a little complicated. You see, Sirens are women with supernatural powers."

"Does that mean I'm special?"

"Yes, it does."

She scarcely noticed that her broken arm was in a cast, while her other injuries were already bandaged. "By the way, what is your name, kiddo?" Jack asked. She stuttered, "A-Angelica." He smiled, "Well, Angelica, how would you feel if _I_ adopted you?" Her eyes lit up, "R-Really? You really mean it?" He nodded, "Of course!"

"_Handsome Jack, sir, it's almost time for your speech_," a voice cracked from his ECHO Recorder. Jack turned to it, "Already? Time flies when you're in the middle of a conversation." He faced Angelica, "Can you still walk?" She nodded, standing up. "Good. I think I might let you experience the show up close." He led her down another hallway and to what appeared to be a stage. "Can one of you get her a seat, please?" he asked one of the workers. "Right away!" he responded, and immediately grabbed a chair. Angelica sat in it, listening to all the people that were chatting on the other side of the curtain. "We're all set, sir," a worker reported. Handsome Jack clapped his hands together, "Then let's get this show rolling!" The curtains opened up, and Jack was now visible. Some people muttered, but they were drowned out by the cheering.

"Hey there! Handsome Jack here!"

_Years later…_

Angelica stood behind Jack as he conversated with his employees. Being a Siren made her feel powerful. She could use basic Siren powers for now, having yet to unlock her own. But that hasn't stopped her from doing anything she can to help Jack find the Vault. She didn't question his orders, she had no reason to yet. She had been taught to use a gun, how to use an ECHO Recorder, and she was given her own section of Hyperion soldiers to command, though she had yet to know who her second in command was. Her shirt had only one sleeve that covered the arm that had the markings. Her gaze swept across the room several times as she kept a careful eye on everyone. Any one of these employees could be a spy or a hired mercenary, and she needed to make sure no one would hurt Jack.

The meeting ended with no sudden moves being made by anybody. The room emptied, and her and Jack made their way to his office. "Y'know," he started, "I've been thinking. You haven't met you're second in command. Fortunately, I invited him."

"I'm guessing I won't know who it is until we start talking?" Angelica asked. Jack shook his head, "I have a feeling you two know each other already. You can't grow powerful until amends are made." He opened the door, and Angelica almost gasped. The boy standing at the desk turned around. His facial features were all too familiar. "A-Angelica?" he stammered, a shocked expression plastered on his face. Angelica hid her shock from him, and she nodded slightly, "Axel." Jack walked out of the room, "I'll leave you two to chat. I have some reporters to answer." The door closed, leaving the two in awkward silence.

"S-so… do you want to, uh… hang out?" Axel asked. She held her serious expression, and Axel began to show signs of fear. She approached him, and he took a step back. "After all the years of you tormenting me, you finally ask that question?" she questioned him in a stern tone. He was trembling now. He thought he could just appear out of nowhere and expect her to immediately be friends with him that easily. She was the one in power now.

Angelica bursted out laughing no longer being able to contain herself. "What's so funny? Wait a minute - what!?" Axel stumbled over his own words in confusion. She did her best to laugh too loud, "Sorry, sorry. You should've seen your face! You really thought I was serious, haha! Of course I'll hang out."

Axel had chosen the private gardens as a place to hang out. Only people with special access could enter, and there were no cameras, which both of them seemed to like. "So, why here?" Angelica asked. Axel sighed, "Well, I really know how much you trust Jack. I don't know how to say this, but…" She gave him a questioning look, "But what?" He shook his head, "I-it's nothing important. Really shouldn't ruin our first day of being friends, should I?" Angelica really wanted to know, "Listen, I promise I won't tell anyone." He took a deep breath, "It's about Jack. He's… _using_ you." She stared at him in disbelief, but she didn't completely believe it was a lie. "For what?" she whispered. Over the years, Jack _had_ been growing more and more demanding of her, sometimes even striking her when she didn't comply. She grew suspicious that he didn't really love her.

The answer she got was the one that confirmed her them

"The only reason why he raised you. A Siren is needed to open a Vault, so he plans on using you to open it."

_Last night._

Angelica couldn't sleep. With her suspicions confirmed, she was afraid of Handsome Jack, and what he was capable of. She sat up, staring at her hands. _If only there were a way…_ she didn't finish the thought when a knock at her door startled her. "Come in," she answered while she simultaneously tried to hide her worried expression in case it wasn't Axel. Fortunately, it was him, and she sighed in relief as he closed to door behind him. He had promised to tell her the rest tonight, since no one would be awake. Or at least they hoped so. "I disabled the camera in here, so no one should be watching," he told her. She sighed, "Well, tell me what I want to know."

"This Handsome Jack is a clone. The real Handsome Jack died a couple years ago after he opened the Vault of the Warrior on Pandora."

"How do you know all this?"

"Because I'm a spy. After you disappeared, I regretted playing to role of the bully. I ran away and found myself with the Crimson Raiders."

"Crimson Raiders? The supposed 'bandit' group that Hyperion's trying to wipe out?"

"Yes."

She fell quiet, unable to find any words. "Who all is here?" she managed to ask. He replied in a whisper, "I can't say their names." Silence fell over them once more. She broke it, "Then you'll help me escape."

"W-what?" he quietly exclaimed. Angelica crossed her arms, "You heard me. If Jack wants to use me, then I have to get as far away as possible." He nodded in understanding, "Then I'll get you out of here tomorrow. Just be prepared to run for it when I make an opening."

_Present time._

Angelica leaned on the wall near the back entrance of the Hyperion facility, silently waiting. Axel was waiting at the controls. She wouldn't be able to see him, but he would tell her when he was going to open the door. She just hoped it was soon. "_No one's coming your direction. I contacted the Crimson Raiders about you, so they should be ready to find you,_" Axel's voice cracked over her ECHO Recorder. She kept an eye on the hallway and she responded, "Good to hear." She didn't tell him that she had access to the camera feeds from her holo-device that Jack had given her a year ago.

"You'll be coming, right?"

There was silence, then his voice responded on the ECHO Recorder, "_There's a high possibility that I may not survive._" She sighed, "I understand." She heard the door unlock itself, "_Opening the door._" The door slid open, and she didn't hesitate to leave. She didn't stop running until she was far enough away that the soldier would take awhile to get to her. She watched the camera feed of the control room. The door behind Axel had opened, and her eyes widened as she recognized Handsome Jack. "Behind you!" she shouted to Axel. Her warning came too late as Jack shot him in the chest, blood splattering on the window. He collapsed onto the controls, his body sliding to the floor, leaving a trail of blood. Jack looked directly at the camera. "_You disappoint me, Angelica,_" he grumbled, then shot the camera. She stood there for a moment, slightly traumatized by Axel's death. She collected herself, threw the holo-device onto the ground, then smashed it into pieces. Without a second thought, she took off, trying to put more distance between her and Hyperion.

_**Hello! CrystalBorf here! So I might've started a bit too fast with the action. This is my first Borderlands fanfic. So, uh… yeah. Feel free to leave reviews and advice on how to make this better, in case it doesn't seem good.**_


	2. Chapter 2

"_Okay, sweety. I need you to unlock your special power."_

"_But it's too hard!"_

"_Not if you try."_

"_I've been trying! It just won't work."_

"_Then you're not trying hard _enough_."_

"_Daddy, can we do this la-"_

_***SMACK***_

"_Daddy *sniff* that h-hurt."_

"_Sorry, sweety. Just next time, don't talk back._

...

Angelica had found a place to sleep underneath the road for the night. No cars drove through the tunnel. _Thank god there isn't a single Hyperion here,_ she quietly sighed in relief. She lied down, enjoying the calmness that the night brought. Natural silence, she called it. It was better than having to be confined to a small room and constantly hear the clanking of Loader Bots outside the door. She slipped into the realm of a dream, whatever it may be.

She opened her eyes into darkness. "Hello?" she called out, her voice echoing. She could hear faint whispering. Only one seemed to reach out to her from behind.

_Do not be afraid._

She whipped around to see what appeared to be a woman, who was strangely all green and glowing, wearing a strange suit. It looked nothing like Hyperion's. She repeated, "_Do not be afraid. We have been watching you._" Angelica glanced around, "We? But I only see you." The woman nodded, "_That is because you haven't unlocked your ability._"

"And what would that be?" Angelica's question echoed.

"_You will find out in due time._"

She jolted awake, frightened by her dream. Judging by the little bit of light, she assumed it was early morning. Crawling out of the tunnel, she caught a glimpse of the same woman from her dream before she faded away and vanished. _You will find out in due time_, the words echoed in her mind. Angelica ignored them for the moment so she could focus on finding these Crimson Raiders that Axel told her about. What Jack had done was unforgivable.

"Keep looking for her. Jack will have us killed if we fail," a Hyperion soldier barked the order in a stern voice not too far away from where she was standing. "Shit," she cursed under her breath, and she took off, trying her best not to make too much noise. The last thing she wanted was to be brought straight back to Jack.

_This way._

A woman's voice beckoned, so she looked up, and Angelica saw the woman again. She followed her, crawling over and under the few fallen trees. She had no idea where she was leading her, let alone who she was, but somehow, she seemed familiar. _Is she really…?_ Angelica shook her head, chasing the question away. But it came back.

This confused Angelica even more, so she looked up to ask her a question, only to find that the woman had disappeared. Once again, she was left all by herself. Letting out a sigh, she began to aimlessly wander through the forest. She passed a few trees that had marks on them, they had been cut with a sharp blade. Judging by the dull coloring, she noted that the marks were old. That was when she saw the tree ahead of her. A blade had been stuck into the bark, and Angelica approached it.

It looked a little worn, with some rust at the base, but she could work with that. She pulled it out, admiring the blade. There was something inscribed on the side of the blade, and she had to squint to read it. _Hunter's Gift_. The name echoed in her mind, bringing back a memory from her youth before her parents untimely death.

Angelica was exploring the woods carelessly, and she ended up getting her foot tangled in rope, and no matter how hard she tugged, she couldn't pull herself free. She had started to cry until her father found her. He knelt beside her, pulling out his hunting knife, and began cutting the rope, setting her free.

She somehow still remembered every detail of the knife in that memory. The brilliance of the metal, how quickly it sliced through the rope, and the name inscribed on it. She held it to her chest, giving herself a moment to relive part of her past.

A twig snapped behind her, jolting her from the memory. Without hesitating, she quickly put the knife into a pouch that hung from her belt, then she ran. She could hear footsteps behind her, which were closing in fast. "No, wait!" a female voice accompanied them. It didn't sound anything like Hyperion, but she wasn't going to stop to find out. She sprinted faster, widening her strides, trying to put more distance between her and her pursuer. She was still catching up. Angelica risked a glance behind her, but that was enough to distract her from what was ahead. She felt the ground drop from below her, and she tumbled down into the ravine face first. The right side of her face hit a rock, and she felt warm blood start to run down her cheek, while she had minor scrapes on her arms and legs. She was sure she would have more than a few bruises forming. Her pursuer was standing next to her, "Geez, you alright?" She stared at her for a moment. She looked like she was in her teenage years. Her left arm was replaced with a robot arm. _She's cute,_ she admired as she slowly nodded, ignoring the cut on her face. "I didn't mean to scare you. Thought I was Hyperion?" she asked as she helped her up to her feet. "Y-yeah. I guess," she replied, half in pain.

Her ECHO Recorder's map showed several red dots surrounding them. The girl seemed to have noticed, because she took out her SMG. _And just when I was about to have a friendly little chat,_ she grumbled in her head. She realized she had left her Hyperion pistol back at the base, so she took out the knife, though she doubt that it would do much.

"Looks like we got Vault Hunters, boys! Let's kill 'em and make a coat outta 'em!"

…

Bullets scarcely missed Gaige as the bandits fired at her. "Number five alive!" she shouted as she lifted her left arm to summon Deathtrap. The robot would quickly shred through the bandits, thanks to the countless upgrades she had given him. Gaige turned around so she could tell the girl to find cover, only to see her rushing at a group of four to five psychos with the knife with deadly hostility glowing bright in her eyes. Then she realized her eyes were _actually_ glowing a deep, bright shade of green. "Oh shit," she barely muttered the words out before a shockwave of energy bursted in all directions, vaporizing the group of psychos instantly. Gaige held her arms up to protect her face from the debris that the shockwave threw at lowered them when it settled, and the girl stood for a few seconds, catching her breath. She seemed bewildered, as if she had no idea what happened. The other bandits had paused, then aimed at the girl and began firing. She dodged most of them, but a bullet hit her right leg and another got her right shoulder, and she fell with a cry of pain. Gaige rushed over, Deathtrap firing his laser beam at a marauder, who instantly burned.

_**Angelica, stop falling down. You're embarrassing yourself.**_

The girl was struggling to get up, with blood seeping out of the wounds, so Gaige took a health vial and jabbed it into her back. She grunted, "Ow! What was-?" She broke off when they both noticed that the bleeding stop, "Oooookaaaaay then. That's… new." The bandits had stopped shooting, so she assumed they were dead. Again, Gaige helped her to her feet. "Did we get them?" the girl asked. Gaige nodded, "Yeah, we did."

_Later…_ **Angelica POV**

"I'm Gaige. Angelica, right?"

"Yeah."

"How'd you escape?"

"Axel opened the back door of the facility."

"So where's Axel?"

I froze. That question had hit a nerve. I never really got the chance to grieve properly. "He's dead," the answer itself was choked, as if it were forced. I held back tears, though a few managed to roll down. Gaige probably noticed, because I felt her hand rest on my left shoulder, "He was a fine man. He did his best to make amends for his mistakes." I swallowed the knot of sorrow that had built up in my throat, "He told me the truth about Hyperion."

"That it's lead by a douchebag?"

"Yeah," I chuckled at her comment. I've heard Jack get called many names, but not douchebag. Then I remembered the moment when I saw nothing but green when I rushed at the psychos. Was that my power? It felt like I could actually deteriorate their souls, or what was left of theirs. I felt slightly tapped out afterwards, but otherwise okay. I glanced at Gaige, who fiddled with her ECHO to make a call, presumably the Crimson Raiders. "Hey Axton. You there?" she chirped. A masculine voice replied, "_Yeah_."

"I found her."

"_Good. I'm sending the coordinates to camp now._"

I cocked my head to a side, "So before we start, should I mention I'm still in my Hyperion outfit in case anyone on your side tries to shoot me?" I don't know this feeling, I never got a proper childhood. "_That… is actually a good idea,_" Axton agreed. Good. At least I'm not going to get shot at.

When we reached the camp, I was relieved. There were three guys. One was muscular. And by muscular, I mean _so_ muscular that if he punched you, it'd be almost impossible not to die. The second one was skinny, and a bird perched on a rock. The third wore a military outfit. Gaige said there were four people here, but where…?

"Oh haiiiiiii!"

I nearly fell over after being startled by a girl's voice from behind me. The four of them chuckled, and I felt the sting of embarrassment. The girl looked to be in her teens, presumably. The military man walked up to us, "Aren't you a pretty one?"

"Oh, um… th-thanks?" I stuttered. Did he just… try to hit on me? Is that how men hit on you? I need to get a life. Gaige got between us, "Axton, seriously?" The skinny man whispered to his bird, then looked back at me, and then at Gaige. "Any spare non Hyperion clothes for her, chica?"

_**Holy skaglicks this is long. At least that's what it looks like on Google Docs. Had to update a couple things after playing the new DLC. Enjoy!**_


	3. Chapter 3

That night, I slept under the stars. Mordecai and Axton took turns keeping watch. The cut on my cheek had started to scab over, and I was wondering what I would look like if it left a scar. I glanced at Gaige, who snored softly in her sleep. I felt happy. I returned my gaze to the sky, mentally counting each individual star until I fell asleep.

...

I saw her again. This time, she was accompanied by a man in a military outfit that was different than Axton's. He, too, was all green and glowing. I approached them, a moth drawn to a flame. There were surroundings now. We were in some sort of old-fashioned town, but it was all green and glowing like the two mysterious figures standing in front of me.

"_So, you are Angelica,_" the man spoke. I swore his voice sounded familiar. I nodded, "I should've asked this before. Who exactly are you?" A loud screech came from above, but I didn't look up. Soon enough, a glowing, green bird the same size _and_ species as Talon swooped from above and landed on the man's shoulder. It looked at me, then a bright light flashed before dimming, and everything was now multi-colored. The man had dark skin, his outfit grey. The woman was light skinned, and had dark hair. Her clothes consisted of yellow, light grey, and dark grey. The bird was grey and white, and its eyes were red. The town had more color, and I spotted a sign in the distance.

'New Haven'

Wait, New Haven? That one town that Jack supposedly destroyed? A memory from my classes came back, and I instantly recognized all three of them. "Wait a minute, I _know_ you. Roland, former leader of the Crimson Raiders. Angel, the one who guided the Vault Hunters, and Bloodwing, former companion of Mordecai's."

That's why they were familiar! That's why this town is familiar! I stared at them, shocked nearly speechless. Angel chuckled, "I thought you'd recognize us once we unlocked some of your memories. It seems Jack, or rather, Jack's clone, somehow erased part of yours."

"Wait, so you can restore memories?"

"Yes and no," Roland answered. "Some memories are beyond our power to restore and must be restored over time." I took a moment to take it all in. Restore my memories, huh? "Another question. Do I tell the others about you?" Angel, Roland, and Bloodwing shared a glance, then looked back at me.

_That is up to you_.

I woke up to Gaige gently shaking me. "Angelica, wake up, sleepyhead," she spoke rather loudly, as if she were in my ear. I groaned, sitting up, "I'm up, I'm up." The aroma of breakfast, whatever that might be, filled the air. I could already tell that it would be better than the food that they served at Hyperion. "Mordecai cooked up some skag to eat," Gaige informed. "Oh, and I ordered a specialized ECHO Recorder for you, since you don't seem to have one. It'll be here in a couple minutes." I blinked, "A couple minutes? Doesn't ordering take a few days?" A small chuckle bursted from Gaige, "Nah, these orders are quick ones, unlike your shipping companies that take _forever_." I was about to retort when I heard robotic humming.

I turned and saw a red drone-like thing hovering over a tree stump. "See? Only a couple minutes," she pointed out as she got up to go get the package. I looked over at the rest of the Vault Hunters with a confused look, but only got shrugs as a reply. A moment later, Gaige came back with the ECHO.

"Here it is! Now hurry up and eat breakfast."

_After breakfast and setting up an ECHOnet account…_

Walking with real life Vault Hunters is exciting! I mean, these guys run into all sorts of things. Just imagine the adrenaline they get! I could be a part of that!

… then again, I might not be cut out for that.

_**Sorry, but this is as far as I'm writing until Borderlands 3 comes out. I've had a rough day, and not up for writing at the moment.**_


End file.
